System and method for turbine engine adaptive control for mitigation of instabilities

Abstract

The present invention provides an adaptive combustion controller and method for a turbine engine. The adaptive combustion controller and method modulates the fuel flow to the turbine engine combustor to reduce combustion instabilities. In particular, the adaptive combustion controller includes a fuel flow phase controller and a fuel flow magnitude controller. The adaptive combustion controller receives sensor data from the turbine engine. In response to the sensor data the fuel flow phase controller adjusts the phase of the modulated fuel flow to reduce instabilities in the combustor. Likewise, in response to the sensor data the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusts the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow to further reduce the instabilities in the combustor. By modulating the fuel flow to the combustor, and adaptively adjusting the phase and magnitude of the modulated fuel flow, the adaptive combustion controller is able to effectively reduce combustion instabilities.

1. An adaptive combustion controller for a turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller receiving sensor data from a combustor in the turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller comprising:
 a fuel flow phase controller, the fuel flow phase controller adjusting a phase of a modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine, wherein the fuel flow phase controller determines a cost of increasing delay in the phase of modulated fuel flow and determines a cost of decreasing delay in the phase of modulated fuel flow, wherein the cost comprises a measure of instabilities in the turbine engine; and 
 a fuel flow magnitude controller, the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusting a magnitude of the modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce the combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine. 
 
   
   
     2. The controller of  claim 1  wherein the sensor data comprises pressure data from the combustor. 
   
   
     3. An adaptive combustion controller for a turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller receiving sensor data from a combustor in the turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller comprising:
 a fuel flow phase controller, the fuel flow phase controller adjusting a phase of a modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine, wherein the fuel flow phase controller adjusts the phase of the modulated fuel flow by determining a current cost, dynamically increasing delay in the phase of the modulated fuel flow and determining a first cost of increasing delay, and dynamically decreasing the delay in the phase of the modulated fuel flow and determining a second cost of decreasing delay and comparing the current cost, first cost and second cost to determine how to adjust the phase of the modulated fuel flow; and 
 a fuel flow magnitude controller, the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusting a magnitude of the modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce the combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine. 
 
   
   
     4. An adaptive combustion controller for a turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller receiving sensor data from a combustor in the turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller comprising:
 a fuel flow phase controller, the fuel flow phase controller adjusting a phase of a modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine; and 
 a fuel flow magnitude controller, the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusting a magnitude of the modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce the combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine, wherein the fuel flow magnitude controller determines a cost of increasing a magnitude of the modulated fuel flow and determines a cost of decreasing the magnitude of modulated fuel flow. 
 
   
   
     5. An adaptive combustion controller for a turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller receiving sensor data from a combustor in the turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller comprising:
 a fuel flow phase controller, the fuel flow phase controller adjusting a phase of a modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine; and 
 a fuel flow magnitude controller, the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusting a magnitude of the modulated fuel flow to the combustor responsive to the sensor data to reduce the combustion instabilities in the combustor in the turbine engine, wherein the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusts the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow by determining a current cost, dynamically increasing the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow and determining a first cost of increasing the magnitude, and dynamically decreasing the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow and determining a second cost of decreasing the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow and comparing the current cost, first cost and second cost to determine how to adjust the magnitude of the modulate fuel flow. 
 
   
   
     6. An adaptive combustion controller for a turbine engine, the adaptive combustion controller comprising:
 a variation detector, the variation detector receiving the sensor data from a combustor in the turbine engine and determining a sensor data variation; 
 a cost generator, the cost generator receiving the sensor data variation and generating a cost, the cost comprising a measure of combustion instabilities in the turbine engine; 
 valve control logic, the valve control logic modulating fuel flow to the combustor in the turbine engine, 
 a fuel flow phase determination mechanism coupled to the valve control logic, the fuel flow phase determination mechanism dynamically increasing delay in the phase of the modulated fuel flow, dynamically decreasing the delay in the phase of the modulated fuel flow, and comparing a cost at a current delay, a cost at the increased delay, and a cost at the decreased delay, the fuel flow phase determination adjusting the phase of the modulated fuel flow based on the cost comparing; and 
 a fuel flow magnitude determination mechanism coupled to the valve control logic, the fuel flow magnitude determination mechanism dynamically increasing a magnitude of the modulated fuel flow, dynamically decreasing the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow, and comparing a cost at a current magnitude, a cost at the increased magnitude, and a cost at the decreased magnitude, the fuel flow magnitude determination adjusting the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow based on the cost comparing. 
 
   
   
     7. The controller of  claim 6  wherein the sensor data comprises pressure data and wherein the sensor data variation comprises pressure variation. 
   
   
     8. The controller of  claim 6  wherein the valve control logic is coupled to the variation detector through a filter path, the filter path including at least one filter filtering the sensor data variation to isolate a frequency band of interest sensor data variation. 
   
   
     9. The controller of  claim 8  wherein the frequency band of interest comprises a resonant frequency in the combustor of the turbine engine. 
   
   
     10. The controller of  claim 8  wherein the valve control logic is coupled to the variation detector through a second filter path, the second filter path including at least one filter filtering the sensor data variation to isolate a second frequency band of interest sensor data variation, the second frequency band of interest distinct from the frequency band of interest. 
   
   
     11. The controller of  claim 6  wherein the cost generator generates a cost using an anti-log function.